Inflatable garment hanger



March 3, 1959 F. J. MoN-rr-:LEONE r-:TAL 2,875,931

l INFLATABLE GARMENT HANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 14, 1957 INV ENTORS 5 BLM am:

"March 3, 1959 l F. J. MoNrELr-:ONE ErA-L 2,875,931

INFLATABLE GARMENT HANGER Filed Nov. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V INVENTORS BY aM/. wf

United StatesPatent O INFLATABLE GARMEN T HANGER Frank I. Monteleone and Ferdinand F. Mancuso,

Brooklyn, N. Y. 1

This invention relates to garment hangers, and particularly to an inflatable type of garment hanger.

An important object of the invention is to provide an inflatable and deflatable garment hanger comprising a collapsible casing of flexible, air-tight and waterproof fabric, which when inllated, will conform substantially to the shapeofnhuman shoulders, in order'that' a dress, coat, jacket or other articles of clothing may be suspended thereon.

Anotherimportant object of the invention is to provide such a hanger, which will assist in maintaining the shape of the article suspended thereon in unwrinkled condition, ready for use.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide antislipping means on the hanger to prevent the slipping of articles of clothing from the hanger after they have been suspended on the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hanger made of waterproofing flexible material which will permit the suspension of articles of clothing thereon in wet or damp condition, after these have been washed or cleaned, without damagingor distorting the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide means in said hanger for suspending additional articles of apparel, such as trousers, slacks, neckties and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inatable and deflatable garment hanger of light weight, which may be packed in a traveling bag, pocket or purse in a minimum space.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for suspending the hanger from a suitable support.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatically closing valve for inllating the hanger.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a hanger embodying the invention;

Fig. 1a is a detail of the suspension means;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2a is a section on line 2a-2a of Fig. 1` viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hanger including means for securing pants, neckties and other articles;

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section on lines 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is another perspective view of the hanger, and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown in Fig. 1 a hanger 6, comprising an inatable casing 8. The casing is formed of a pair of substantially thin sheets 10 and 12 of plastic fabric, although rubber and like waterproof and airtight fabrics may be employed for the purpose. Sheets 10 and 12 are secured to one another along the outer edges 14 by electronic heat sealing or by any other appropriate known means. The upper edge portionlS of the hanger is curved to conform to the shape of `human shoulders and is formed with a large arcuate upwardly extending portion 7, two smaller arcuate portions 15a being disposed on either side of the larger portion 7.

Additionally there are secured to the upper edge portion 15 of the hanger, abrasive-coated strips 16, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Instead of these strips, the upper edge of the hanger may bey coated directly with an abrasive substance 16a, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The hanger proper is clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The abrasive substance contacts the inner portion of a garment suspended on the hanger and prevents it from sliding oif the hanger and from wrinkling and getting out of shape by improper displacement.

There is provided in one of the sides of casing 6, a valve 18 for inflating the hanger. Valve 18 is self-closing when the casing is iniated, and is of known construction. The required amount of air may be blown into the casing through valve 18 by mouth or other means, when it' is desired to use the hanger, it is readily opened manually to deflate the casingv by pulling out the tab in known manner. To provide a sturdy support for the hook 20 by which the hanger is suspended when in use, the casing `is formed with a non-inilatable portion 22 consisting of extensions of sheets 10.l and 12, thus forming a reinforcement which is provided with a hole 23 having ya corrugated edge 23a and reinforcing apertured disc 12a.

A hanger for trousers, slacks or other articles of apparel such as neckties etc., is provided at 25, below the valve 18. The hanger consists of a longitudinal slotted portion 26 extending parallel to the lower edge 14 of the hanger. Slotted portion 26 is formed by slitting sheets 10 and 12 and sealing in an airtight manner upper edges 28 and lower edges 30 of the slotted portion by means similar to those already described.

Thus, when the casing 6 of the hanger is inated, a pair of trousers, slacks or appropriate article of apparel may be inserted through the slotted portion 26, the edges 28 and 30 respectively frictionally engaging the article by a wedging action.

In another embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, instead of the slotted portion 26, there is provided below valve 18a, a strap 32 preferably of the same fabric as that of the casing 6. When it is desired to hang a pair of trousers, slacks or other suitable article of apparel, these are threaded through space 38 between strap 32 and the surface 8a of the hanger casing, whereupon the above named articles may each be frictionally engaged between the adjacent surfaces of the casing and the strap 32.

When it is desired to collapse the hanger, so that it may be put away in a traveling bag, pocket or purse, to occupy a minimum of space, valve 18 is opened in a known manner by pulling out the valve tab.

Due to the waterproof quality of the fabric from which the hanger is made, it is particularly advantageous when used for hanging wet or damp cleaned garments, Without damage to the hanger itself or the garment.

One of the many other advantages of the improved garment hanger is its shape, which substantially conforms to the shoulder portion of the human body. The deformation or Wrinkling of the corresponding portion of the garment is thereby prevented, and in the case of wet or damp garments, the shaping of the material from which the latter are made is aided.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a pre ferred example of the same', and that various changes in' the shape, size and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the inrvention, or the scope of the Ysubjoined claims.

n Having thus described the,invention,'we claim: 1. An-inatable andJdetlatable garment hanger comprising a one-piece casing of flexible airtight fabric, said justably received in said reinforced extension for hanging casing having an upper curved edge and a lower sub- .stantially straight edge, said upper curved edge formed with a reinforced extension centrally thereof, abrasive means on, said upper curved edge for preventing the slid- Ving of a garment therefromwhen in use, said casing in- `cluding means defined by two opposed portions, whereby when said casing is inated, said portions are brought `into tight' contact with each other and a pair of trousers, slacks or other article of apparel inserted between said vportions may be supported thereby and prevented from displacement. v `2. An inflatable and deiatable garment hanger comprising a one-piece casing of flexible, airtight fabric,k said casing having an upper curved edge and a lower substantially straight edge, said upper curved edge formed with a reinforced extension centrally thereof, abrasive means on said upper curved edge for preventing the sliding of a garment therefrom when in use, said casing having an opening defined by two opposed portions spaced between said upper curved edge and said lower straight edge, said opening extending transversely through and longitudinally of said casing, whereby whensaid casing is inflated, said portions are brought into tight contact with each other and a pair of trousers, slacks or similar article of apparel inserted between said opposed portions is prevented from displacement, a hook adi;

"said casing on a suitable support when inflated, a valve in said casing for inatingiand deflating the latter, whereby when said casing is inflated, it substantially conforms to the shape of human shoulders, and when said casing is deflated it may be folded to occupy a minimum of space. Y

3. An inflatable and deatable garment hanger comprising a one-piece casing of exible, airtight fabric, said casing having an upper curved edge and a lower substantially straight edge, said upper curved edge formed with a reinforced extension centrally thereof,pabrasive means on` said upper curved edge for preventing-the sliding of a garment therefrom when in use, a strip of fabric having opposite ends 'secured to said casing longitudinally thereof between said upper and lower yedges and in tight contact with said casing when the latter is f inflated, whereby a pair of trousers, slacks or similar article of apparel inserted between said strip and said casingis prevented from displacement, means for inating and deating said casing and a hook secured in said extension for hanging the casing on a support.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,734,549V Waldy Nov. 5, 1929 1,886,126 Sessions Nov. 1, 1932. 2,276,429 Spitz Mar. 17, 1942 2,448,673 Kohl Sept. 7, 1948 l2,590,738 Tufts Mar. 25, 1952 2,622,774 Freeman Dec. 23,'1952 2,813,667 Gross Nov. 19, 1957 

